An Acting Job

Ahmad Bradshaw is too selfish not to score a touchdown, almost costs Giants theSuper Bowl

Ahmad Bradshaw would call it "the greatest feeling in the world."

In truth, it's one of the most selfish plays in Super Bowl history. By refusing to go down at the 1-yard line as instructed by his quarterback Eli Manning, Bradshaw put the New York Giants' Super Bowl win in dire jeopardy.

Sorry, I'm not buying it for a second that Bradshaw scored that last-minute touchdown by "accident." The Giants tailback easily could have stopped short of the goal line like his coach planned for him to do. Bradshaw could have gone down and made sure Tom Brady and the New England Patriots never touched the ball again.

Bradshaw's "game-winning" touchdown is arguably the most selfish Super Bowl play since Ditka gave the ball to Perry rather than Payton in Super Bowl XX.

He could have stayed true to Tom Coughlin's script and set the Giants up to sprint off the Lucas Oil Stadium field as sure 18-17 winners of Super Bowl XLVI.

But Bradshaw couldn't resist the chance to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. So he put his own glory over the good of the team. Bradshaw's pretend stumble into the end zone is as bad of an acting job as a soccer star's worst flop.

Bradshaw wasn't really trying to avoid going into the end zone. He was trying to score while making it look like he made some effort to avoid it.

He's a fleet professional athlete, a tailback with good footwork. There was not a Patriot around Bradshaw. They were begging him to score, having been smartly completely called off by Bill Belichick. If Bradshaw truly wanted to stop short, he easily could have.

Instead, he fakes like he's going to halt only after he's inches from the end zone. And instead of just stopping, he turns backwards and stumbles in butt first. Even The Rock would be ashamed at that work of thespianism.

It's not hard to take a knee. If you really want to.

Bradshaw's bit of selfishness shouldn't be excused or laughed away just because the Giants ended up winning the Super Bowl, 21-17, anyway. He gave Brady and the Patriots a real chance when Manning and Coughlin orchestrated a drive that should have left the Patriots with none. If Deion Branch and Aaron Hernandez don't drop ultra-catchable balls, Brady has an even better opportunity than a heave from the 40-yard line into the end zone to win it on the final play because of Bradshaw's TD greed.

If Bradshaw goes down short of the goal line inside of a minute like he's told, Brady likely loses without even touching the ball again. At best, he gets a futile shot at an 80-yard fling.

And you get the sense that No. 44 knows it.

If Bradshaw truly wanted to stop short, he easily could have.

“I was nervous,” Bradshaw told reporters in Indianapolis afterwards. “I was shaking. Just to have the ball in Brady’s hand, clutch situation. He’s a great quarterback.”

Was Bradshaw nervous because he knew he could have avoided all that drama if he only have resisted the lure of a Super Bowl touchdown? Bradshaw's "game-winning" touchdown is arguably the most selfish Super Bowl play since Chicago Bears coach Mike Dikta gave the ball to William "Refrigerator" Perry rather than Walter Payton at the goal line in Super Bowl XX.

But at least Payton being robbed of his rightful touchdown had no impact on a blowout game.

Bradshaw's selfish, butt-first glory grab could have changed the outcome of one of the closest Super Bowls ever. He should be more than a little ashamed.

pucker up

Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.

Photo courtesy of The Picklr

A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

“Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

pickleball openings

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